World Elephant Day was celebrated at Australia Zoo on Monday 12 August by spoiling their resident herd with watermelons, bananas, tree branches and lots of love.
The zoo welcomed four critically endangered Sumatran elephants in 2020, as part of the inter-regional program for Sumatran elephants.
Christina, Megawati, Widya and Raflesia are the smallest subspecies of Asian elephants, and enjoy nearly 20 acres of pristine habitat to play and roam.
Gareth Richardson, head of Asia at Australia Zoo, has worked closely with elephants for 14 years, and was thrilled to celebrate World Elephant Day with these beautiful animals.
“Australia Zoo’s Elephant Team were delighted to celebrate World Elephant Day. In their beautiful Elephantasia home we prepared an extra special array of fruit and browse treats alongside some of their favourite enrichment activities for them to enjoy,“ Gareth said.
“One of our favorite parts of the day is the Elephant Keeper Talk, where we introduce visitors to our resident elephants, highlighting their impressive trunks and playful nature. We aim to inspire guests about elephant conservation through exciting education“ he said.
The inter-regional program for Sumatran elephants works with zoological facilities to provide insurance populations maintaining long-term genetic and demographic integrity while supporting key education and conservation initiatives.
In the last 25 years, more than 70 per cent of Sumatran elephant habitat has been lost with nearly 2000 individuals left in the wild.
Australia Zoo has supported Sumatran elephant conservation for over 10 years, by helping construct an elephant hospital as part of the Elephant Conservation Centre in Indonesia.
Wildlife Warriors supports crucial Asian elephant conservation in Cambodia through helping communities adopt friendly methods that protect their properties, while maintaining harmony between humans and elephants. Elephant wardens work to safely deter elephants away from villages and farms, encouraging them to return to more suitable habitats.
